Realistic and highly controllable Leslie sounds from an essentially easy-to-use stompbox. More control than some similar-priced models. Stereo ins and outs.
Drive control could be more responsive and, at higher settings, more subtle. Slow-fast switchās multi-functionality can be initially confusing, so save the instructions.
$299
Keeley I Get Around Rotary Simulator
robertkeeley.com
A highly controllable, mid-priced rotary speaker simulator inspired by the Beach Boys that nails the essential character of a Leslieāin stereo.
Thereās nothing cooler than using a Leslie cabinet in the studio, and few things worse than having to lug one to gigs. The famed Leslie 981, for example, weighs nearly 150 pounds. Enter the rotary speaker pedalāan easy-on-the-back alternative for players who are looking to conjure Leslie-derived guitar sounds employed on classic records by Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, the Beatles, and others.
California Roller
There are a lot of good options for on-the-floor rotary pedals between $99 and $549. At $299, Keeley Electronicsā new I Get Around Rotary Simulator falls in the middle of the pack on pricing but has an array of functions that make it competitive with costlier examples. The I Get Around is part of a collaboration between Keeley, JHS Pedals, and Benson amps, dedicated to creating five limited-edition effects in tribute to the Beach Boys. I canāt recall many Beach Boys tracks with Leslie-style guitar, but Brian Wilson did use the effect on brother Carlās guitar on 1965ās āYouāre So Good to Me,ā and a year later on the song āPet Sounds.ā
At 5" x 4" x 2", the I Get Around is a little larger than the average stompbox, but thatās necessary to accommodate the three big dials on top (blend, drive, and speed) as well as the on/off (which also works to select true bypass or buffered mode) and slow-fast switches, plus the stereo inputs and outputs. Using two amps in stereo makes the flutter and warble of the rotary sound more pronounced and immersive. Itās truly psychedelic. Thereās also a toggle that adds a 4.5 dB mid-boost, which fattens and tightens the tone enough for me to simply want to leave that boost engaged all the time.
How I Got Around
I ran the I Get Aroundāpowered by a 9V barrel connector at 130 mAā through a pair of Carr amps, playing a GibsonĀ Les Paul Standard and a PRS SE Silver Sky, and blended the pedal with overdrive, fuzz, and delay as I experimented. I love the extra-large size of the speed control, which let me adjust the rate of simulated rotation at a whim with my shoe. The speedās range is .06 Hz to .6 Hz, with 1 Hz being one revolution per second, and all the speed settings sound great and conjure the vibes youād want from a Leslie, from velvet-painting dreamscapes to edgy, breathless Robert Ward- and David Gilmour-style psychedelic blues. Add a little delay and the sound becomes spongier and stranger, but too much, of course, can turn things to muck, as can an overbearing fuzz.
The drive control is a subtle overdrive that simulates a pushed 6550 and 12UA7 tube. At moderate amp volume, it doesnāt add much discernable grit until about 9 oāclock. Past 2 oāclock it rolled off enough top end to make my guitar sound less potent. But between those demarcations lies a very sweet spot for adding beef. The blend control starts being effective at about 8 oāclock, when the first hints of the rotary sound become a backdrop for the guitarās voice, and then it's just a matter of turning up to tasteāincluding cranking all the way clockwise to entirely eliminate your core guitar sound in favor of the rotary effect alone. For my taste, the best overall sounds were achieved with subtle-to-pronounced blends, between 9 oāclock and a bit past 2, that added rotary effect to my always-present basic guitar tone, thickening, supporting, and swirling behind it.
The slow-fast switch is all about drama. It allows toggling between two speed settings, and when itās held down it stops the rotating speaker effect, which resumes when the switch is pressed again. The ramp rate can be customized as well. I like it slow, so the activation of the swirl is audible.
The Verdict
Keeleyās new I Get Around Rotary Simulator commands all the essential sounds youād want from an actual Leslie. Unlike some pedals in its price range, itās got stereo outs, which, to my thinking, are essential, because the rotary effect sounds best through guitar amps run in stereo. Also, the deep functionality beyond the basic adjustments of the three topside dials is attractive, adding more Leslie-like realism. There are cheaper alternatives, but to find competitive or better examples, youāll need to reach deeper into your pockets.
Keeley I Get Around Rotary Simulator Pedal - Sweetwater Exclusive, Limited Release
I Get Around Rotary SimulatorUltimate Gear Talk with Tool & Pantera, Ed Sheeran's Looping Magic, PRS & Peavey Spotlight | Gig Rundown Ep. 2
The PG Video crew of John Bohlinger, Perry Bean and Chris Kies comment on recent monster Rig Rundowns with Justin Chancellor, Rex Brown, and Zakk Wylde. Then the trio focus on new gear pieces from Ed Sheeran, HeadRush, and PRS, before dishing out some new music they're excited about from Pelican, Knocked Loose, and St. Vincent. They conclude their chat with a horrific bandmate story from Llorona and chime in with their own terrible tales from the tour bus.
The EL84 rambler champions three legendary British ā60s to early ā70s sounds embracing their classic chime, crunch, and kerrang packed into a modern design.
Fronting a dual-EL84 output stage that generates 16 watts of power, the Bel-Ray sports a front end of two 12AX7s plus a fat British-voiced EF86* pentode tube in a triple-threat preamp that delivers Top Boost chime, Plexi grind, and H-Watt punch at the twist of a switch.
Juicy, tactile dynamics and multi-dimensional playing feel are ensured by tube rectification courtesy of an EZ81āan essential part of the power supplies in the smaller ā60s AC combos and 18-watters alikeāand atmospherics are maximized by a tube-driven, bias-modulated tremolo circuit that oozes a warm, lush, swampy throb.
Atop this versatile foundation, the Bel-Ray carries the kind of feature set that has made Carr Amplifiers famous for their ability to deliver vintage-caliber tones to modern playing situations. The Level (aka Volume) control is coupled with a High/Low volume-taper toggle which selects between a direct signal or one with a partial Master Volume inserted after the following EF86 stage. In High, the volume comes on fast and furious, hitting the output stage harder for increased crunch. Set to Low, the volume rolls up gradually and drives the EL84s less aggressively, perfect for at-home nighttime playing and quieter settings.
The Bel-Rayās decibels are further dialed in with Carrās acclaimed built-in attenuator: a toggle switch flips between the full 16 watts and anywhere from 0 to 2 watts of power. And behind it all is Carrās hand-wired, point-to-point circuit construction, acknowledged as among the finest in the business, using military grade power components, signal elements from the golden age of analog amplification, and other high-end parts to optimize clarity, depth, and playing feel.
The Bel-Ray ā legendary British tone via top-flight American engineering.